Water toboggan



ug., 24, i943. v. H. HURT WATER ToBoGGAN Filed Jan.' 7, 1943 2 Slwets-Sxeerl l ATTORNEY Aug, 24, w43. v. H. HURT 2,327,794

WATER TOBOGGAN Filed Jan. 7, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVENTOR.

Warm /f Hair /Z J/ BY '$411 311% ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 24, 1943 i UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE I 1 2327,7945

WATER ToBoGGAN I victor anun,Cranston,n.1.,assignqr to United Y States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Y Application January 7, 1943, Serial No. 471,539

(ci. 9 2). i

s claims.

This invention relates to a water toboggan constructed to be towed in the water or paddled by a person lyingluponV the toboggan, and more particularly to -an inflated toboggan that is well adapted for both of theseuses.

A lprimary feature of thev presentv invention resides'in the construction 4whereby the watertoboggan is made reversible so that it is well adapte ed for towing purposes when one side is up and is well adapted to be paddled with`V the arms and hands when the opposite side is up;

To this end the toboggan is provided with two elongated' pontoons or tubes which are retained in laterallyspaced relationby a connecting apron that has a flexible upwardly inclined bow flap secured to -thel `forward end portionof each tube."

The connection between the apron, tubes and bow flap isv such thatwhen one side of the toboggan is up `the pontoonsl will lie in spaced approximately parallel relation to each other so that a person may lie onthe apron between the pontoons while the toboggan is being towed, and when Athe bow flap is reversed and the `other iside of the toboggan is up the pontoons will be vheld close together at their'forward4 'ends so that a person may rest the forward portion of his body on these pontoons while he paddleswith his arms.

This desirable reversible feature of the toboggan is secured by gradually increasing the width of the bow flap over that ofthe apron, and r by securing the side edges of the apron tothe pontoons along straight lines, while the side edges of the bow flap are secured diagonally around the forward ends ofthe pontoons. As a result of this construction the bow flapmay be turned up or down from the plane of the apron. When the iia'p is turned one way the forward ends of the pontoons will lie spaced from each other outside ofthe enclosure `formed bythe bow flap, and when the flap is turnedin the opposite direction the forward ends of the `pontoons will lie 4close togetherinside of the enclosure formed bythe bow flap. i

Another important feature of the invention resides in the construction whereby the forward ends of the tubes or pontoons are made chiselshaped vto provide V.flat wide blades disposed at right angles to the lengthof each tube. By attaching the forward ends of the bow flap to these bladelike ends near a side edge `of each blade, a construction is secured whereby the forward edge of the bow flap isheld well `elevated 'out of the water when either side ofthe toboggan is up. The above and other features `of the present invention willbe morefully understood from the following description when readin connection with' the accompanying drawings wherein:v

Fig.- 1 is atop plan View of the watertoboggan as used by a person lying upon the same so that he may paddlewith his arms and hands; -1

Fig. 2 is' a side View of the construction o' Figi;

Fig.,3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 -3 ofFig.v1;- i

Fig. 4 is a front end View of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 on a smaller scale is a bottom view the construction of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 6 .is a top plan View of the toboggan as used for towing purposes with the pontoons well spaced throughout their length; Y

Fig. 7 is a side View of the construction; of Fig.6;and, v, i

Fig. 8 is a front end view ofFig. 7.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the entirewatertobogganis or may be constructed `of a rubberized `fabric or other air impervious fabric;y The buoyancy of the toboggan is suppliedby the two inated, elongated pontoons ortubesli) and II which are retained in spaced relationto each other by the connecting apron l2. This apron has its'width gradually increased near its `forward end to form thebowflapl. 1

The pontoons or tubes Iii Aand IIare shownas slightly larger in diameterfat the forward end of the toboggan than at the rear end as this serves to increase the buoyancy ycf the forward portion ofthe toboggan to vbetter support the increased weightof the head and shoulders of the person using thetoboggan. Eachtube Ill and `I I inthe construction shown is adapted to be air inflated and has the chisel-like rear ends ill and vI5 to provide flat wide bladesdisposed at right angles tothe length of the tubes, and the tubes I0 and I I have the similar chiseLshapedforward endsIIi and I'l,`whi ch are somewhatwider than theenlsllt and I5.` ,i i

'L ihe apron I2 is of uniform width throughout the major portion of its length andthe side edges of this majo-r porti-on are firmly secured to the tubes II) and II along the seams i3 and I9; The forward end of the apron I2, as above stated, ares outwardly to provide the'flap I3 o fjincreased width. The side edgesof this nap are secured along diagonal or spiral paths about the forward end portions of the tubes I and II by the seams 2E) and ZI.V The arrangement is such v 'that theouterjend of the `flap I3' 'is secured at its side edges Lto the"chis elshaped ends` I5 and I1 near a side edge `of the wide chisel blades,

The purpose of this is to hold the forward edge of the flap I 3 well elevated above the water when either side of the toboggan is turned up. In this manner a construction is secured whereby the bow flap is held well elevated by these tub es when the bow flap is turned in either direction.

When the toboggan is reversed to change, for example, from the construction shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 6, the tubes I Il and II so far as the rear portionof the toboggan is concerned will simply revolve through an angle of approximately 120 relatively to the seams I8 and I9 which secure the apron I2 to the tubes. A somewhat different action, however, occurs at the forward end of the toboggan during such reversal, since when the flap I3 is turned upwardly as shown in Fig. 1, the forward ends of the tubes I and II will lie inside of the enclosure formed by this bow flap with the blade-like ends I6 and I'I inclined to the oor formed by the apron I2. Whereas, when the bow flap is turned in the oppo-site direction and the tubes Il! and II .are rotated through an angle of approximately 120, the forward ends of these tubes will lie outside of the enclosure formed by the bow flap as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, where it will be noted that the blade-like ends I6 and I'I extend upwardly in a vertical direction, as best shown in Fig. 8.

The bow flap I3 is shown as provided `,with the grommet 22 for towing purposes and the rear end of the apron I2 has the grommets 23. Each pontoon or tube is shown as having secured thereto several straps or hand loops 24 whereby the tcboggan may be more easily handled, and the straps may be grasped to support water. a

The pontoons I0 and II are vsh-own as provided with the oral infiating tubes 25 which enter the pontoons at 26. Each tube 25 has a cap or Valve 21 at its outer end which may be adjusted to one position to permit ination of the pontoonand to a second position to prevent the inflating air from escaping through such tube. Each tube when not in use may be retained in place along the pontoon by the holding strap 28. The tubes 25 are so located that the pontoons may be readily inflated by the person lying upon the toboggan when either side is up. The pontoons I0 and II may be deflated by providing the valves 29 having the removable caps 30. Y

It will be seen from the foregoing that by making the water toboggan of the present invention reversible, one side may be turned up when the same is to be towed in the water so that'the pontoonswill lie a substantialdistance from each other throughout their length to provide a clearance space therebetween for a person to lie upon the apron I2, and when the other side of the toboggan is up and the boW flap isreversed, the

forward ends of the pontoons will be held close together to support the head and shoulders of a person using the toboggan well elevated above the water so that he will be in a more comfortable position to paddle with his arms and hands.

When the toboggan shown is not in use it may be deflated and rolled up into a compact package, and when inflated ready for use the pontoons may be quickly turned to a position in which their forward ends lie inside of the apron as shown in Fig. 4, or to a position in which these forward ends lie outside of the apron as shown in Fig. 8.

`Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. reversible Water toboggan comprising two a person in the inflated elongated pontoons retained in laterally spaced relation by a connecting apron that has an upwardly inclined bow ap, the toboggan being adapted when turned so that one face is up to provide space for a person to lie between the pontoons on the apron, and when turned so that the other face is up to hold the forward ends of the pontoons close together sov that a person may lie on the pontoons to paddle with his arms.

2. A reversible water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons retained in laterally spaced relation by a connecting apron that has an upwardly inclined bow flap, the pontoons being so connected by the apron and flap that when one face is turned up the pontoons willlie in spaced parallel relation and when the other facevis turned up the pontoons will be held close together at their forward ends and diverge from each other rearwardly.

3. A reversible water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons 'retained in laterally spaced relation by a connecting apron that has an up-r wardly inclined bow flap, the pontoons beingso connected by the apron and flap that when one face is up the pontoons will lie a substantial distance apart with their forward ends outside of the enclosure formed by the bow flap, and whenthe other Aface of the toboggan is up the forward ends of the pontoons will lie close together'. and within said enclosure.

4. A reversible water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons having chisel-shaped forward ends, an apron secured to the pontoons to 'hold them in laterally spaced relation and having an upwardly inclined bow flap attached to said chisel-shaped ends, whereby when the vfiapis turned up in one direction said ends .will lie close together inside of the bow flapV and when the ap is turned up in the opposite direction said ends will lie spaced apart outside of the bow lap.- Y v 5. A reversible water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons having chisel-shaped forward ends, an apron secured to the pontoons to hold them in laterally spaced relation and havingl an upwardlyfinclined bow ilapattached to said chisel-shaped ends nearl a side edge of each, whereby the bow flap will be supported by said ends so that its upper edge will lie near the planeof the upper face of the toboggan when either face is up. Y

6. `A water toboggan comprising-two elongated pontoons having chisel-blade forward ends, a

connecting apron secured along the pontoons in the approximate longitudinal plane defined by the flattened blade portion of each forward end so that when the toboggan is in the water and a load rests upon one face of the apron the flattened blade ends will assume a vertical position, and a bow flap at the forward'end ofthe apron and' attached to the pontoons along inclined lines extending upwardly to the upper edge ofthe chisel blades. f

7. A water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons having chisel-shaped forward endsan apron secured to the pontoons to hold them'in laterally spaced relation and having an upwardly inclined bow flap that is attached to said chiselshaped ends near a side edge of each, whereby the bow flap is supported by said ends so that its upper edge lies adjacent the upper plane of the toboggan.

bow flap, the ap being so connected to the pontoons that it will extend upwardly in oneV direction when one side of the toboggan is up and may be reversed to extend upwardly in the opposite direction when the other side of the toboggan is up. p

9. A reversible water toboggan comprising two elongated pontoons retained in laterally spaced relation by a connecting apron that has a exible bow ap,the flap being so connected to the pontoons that it will extend upwardly in one direction'and hold the forward ends of the pontoons close together when one side of the toboggan is up, and may be reversed to extend upwardly in the opposite direction and hold the forward ends of the pontoons further apart when the other side of the toboggan is up.

VICTOR H. HURT. 

